Power drivable chuck

ABSTRACT

A power drivable chuck  30  includes a body  72  which is formed with a shank-receiving opening  34  having a triangular cross section. A spring  104  is located about a forward section  78  of the body  72 , and is captured within a chamber  102  between a base surface  98  of a sleeve  76  and a forward surface  100  of an intermediate section  80  of the body. A ball  90  is located in a passage  86  formed through the body  72  from an exterior surface  96  to the opening  34 . A pair of slots  106  and  108  are also formed in the body in communication, and aligned, with the passage  86  on opposite sides of the passage. The ball  90  is formed with a through hole  112  and receives a pin  114  therein, with opposite ends of the pin extending from the ball and into respective ones of the slots  106  and  108 . The spring  104  engages and normally urges the opposite ends of the pin  114  against the base surface  98  of the sleeve  76  normally to extend a portion  90   a  of the ball  90  into the opening  34  for locking a shank  42  within the opening. The opening  34  is formed to receive a hexagonal shank  38  and triangular shanks  44  and  52.

This application claims the benefit of provisional application No.60/144,825 filed on Jul. 21, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a power drivable chuck, and particularlyrelates to a power drivable chuck having a triangular shank-receivingbore, and to an accessory having a triangular shank for assembly withthe chuck.

In the past, chucks have been designed to receive shanks of variouscross sections. Such cross sections generally have included hexagonaland round configurations. The manufacture of chucks which accommodatehexagonal shanks is a somewhat costly effort considering that a bore ofthe chuck is typically machined with five walls. Other wallconfigurations also have been designed which accommodate a hexagonalshank as well as other shank configurations. However, such other wallconfigurations are complex and also costly to manufacture.

Thus, there is a need for a chuck which is economical and relativelyeasy to manufacture, while also providing facility for receipt of shanksof different configurations.

In addition, there is a need for an accessory, such as, for example, adrill bit, having a shank which is economical and easy to manufacture,which can be accommodated by the above-noted economical andeasy-to-manufacture chuck.

In some chucks, a locking element, such as, for example, a ball, has abiasing force applied directly thereto, for urging the locking elementinto a position to lock a shank within a bore of the chuck. With theconstant direct application of the biasing force upon the lockingelement, a loss of structural integrity could result, which could have aundesirable effect upon the operation of the locking feature of thechuck.

Thus, there is a need for a providing a locking element within a chuckwhich is not subject to a directly applied biasing force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a chuck whichis economical and relatively easier to manufacture, while also providingfacility for receipt of shanks of different configurations.

Another object of this invention is to provide a shank which iseconomical and easier to manufacture.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a chuck having alocking element which is not subject to a directly applied biasingforce.

With these and other objects in mind, this invention contemplates apower drivable chuck for receiving and clamping a shank having a crosssection selected from the group consisting of a triangular cross sectionconfiguration and a hexagonal cross section configuration. The chuckincludes a body having a front face and a shank-receiving bore formed inthe front face of the body and extending into the body from the frontface. The bore is formed with three angularly interfacing surfacesarranged to drivingly engage the shank. Means are provided for lockingthe shank with the chuck.

This invention further contemplates a power drivable chuck for receivingand clamping a shank, and includes a body having a shank-receiving boreformed therein and an exterior surface. A passage is formed in the bodyand extends from the exterior surface to the bore. A locking element ismovable within the passage and has a portion thereof which is extendableinto the bore. An extension element is assembled with and extends fromthe locking element. Means are provided for normally urging theextension element, and thereby the locking element, into a positionwhereby the portion of the locking element extends normally into thebore.

This invention also contemplates an accessory which includes a shankformed in a triangular cross section.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome more fully apparent from the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiment, the appended claims and the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a chuck in accordance with certainprinciples of the invention, mounted on a drill;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a hexagonal shank;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a shank having a triangular crosssection in accordance with certain principles of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a shank having a triangular crosssection in accordance with certain principles of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a body, sleeve, spring and lockingelement of the chuck of FIG. 1, in accordance with certain principles ofthe invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the body of FIG. 5 in accordance withcertain principles of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the body of FIG. 5 in accordance withcertain principles of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a front view showing the front face of a chuck having a boreconfiguration in accordance with certain principles of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a front view showing the front face of a chuck having a boreconfiguration in accordance with certain principles of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a front view showing the front face of a chuck having a boreconfiguration in accordance with certain principles of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a front view showing the front face of a chuck having a boreconfiguration in accordance with certain principles of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatical view showing a triangle representative of abore opening of the chuck of FIG. 1 with end view representations of theshanks of FIGS. 3 and 4, in accordance with certain principles of theinvention;

FIG. 13 is a front view showing a front face of the chuck of FIG. 1 inconjunction with the locking element of FIG. 5, in accordance withcertain principles of the invention; and

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing the chuck of FIG. 1 with the lockingelement of FIG. 5 biased partially into the bore of the chuck inaccordance with certain principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a chuck 30 can be coupled to a power driver suchas, for example, a drill 32, shown in phantom, for rotating the chuck.The chuck 30 is designed with a triangular shaped shank-receivingopening or bore 34 for receiving and locking differently configuredshanks of a plurality of accessories, including, for example, (1) a bit36 (FIG. 2) having a hexagonal shank 38, with a groove 40, (2) a bit 42(FIG. 3) having a triangular cross-sectioned shank 44 formed withslightly convex surfaces 46 (FIG. 12) at corners of the triangular crosssection, and with a groove 48, and (3) a bit 50 (FIG. 4) having atriangular cross-sectioned shank 52, with a groove 54.

The shanks 38, 44 and 52 of the three bits 36, 42 and 50, respectively,may also be received and gripped by chucks having other shank-receivingopenings such as, for example, the illustrated front-face openings 56,58, 60 and 62 of chucks 64, 66, 68 and 70, respectively, as shown inFIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11, respectively. The shanks 38, 44 and 52 may alsobe received in the various shank-receiving openings of the chucksdisclosed in a now abandoned patent application identified by U.S. Ser.No. 60/108,336, filed on Nov. 13, 1998, and its successor pendingnonprovisional patent application identified by U.S. Ser. No.09/439,505, filed on Nov. 12, 1999, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference thereto.

Referring to FIG. 14, the chuck 30 includes a chuck body 72, an end cap74 and a sleeve 76. The chuck body 72 is formed integrally in threesections identified as a forward section 78 having a first exteriordiameter, an intermediate section 80 having a second exterior diametergreater than the first diameter, and a rearward section 82 having athird exterior diameter less than the first diameter. Theshank-receiving opening 34 is formed axially in the forward section 78from a front face 84 thereof for a distance equal to about three-fourthsof the axial length of the forward section.

A passage 86 is formed through the forward section 78 between anexterior peripheral surface 88 thereof and into communication with theopening 34. The passage 86 is formed at an angle relative to the axis ofthe chuck 30 and extends from the juncture thereof with the peripheralsurface 88, toward the axis and the front face 84. The passage 86 issized to receive a ball 90 for movement therein.

The sleeve 76 is formed with a bore 92 which is located about theperipheral surface 88 of the body 72 to allow axial movement of thesleeve relative to the body. The sleeve 76 is formed with a counterbore94, portions of which are located about an exterior peripheral surface96 of the intermediate section 80 for axial movement relative thereto. Acounterbore base surface 98 is formed in the sleeve 76 and, togetherwith the counterbore 94, the peripheral surface 88 and a forward surface100 of the intermediate section 80, defines an enclosed chamber 102 forreceipt of a spring 104. The end cap 74 is press fit onto a forwardportion of the peripheral surface 88 of the body 72, whereby the sleeve76 is captured in the assembled arrangement, as illustrated, but can bemoved axially relative to the body for a limited axial distance.

The rearward section 82 of the body 72 forms a stem or shank which canbe assembled and gripped within the drill 32 to facilitate rotation ofthe chuck 30 when the drill is operated. Alternatively, the rearwardsection 82 could be formed with a threaded axial bore from the rearthereof to facilitate the mounting of the chuck 30 onto a threadedspindle of the drill 32.

Referring to FIG. 7, two interfacing, spaced slots 106 and 108 areformed in opposite wall portions of the passage 86. Each of the slots106 and 108 extend from the opening of the passage 86, which iscontiguous with the peripheral surface 88 of the chuck body 72, to asquared floor 110, near the juncture of the passage with the opening 34.As shown in FIG. 5, a forward corner of the squared floor 110 of each ofthe slots 106 and 108 slightly overlaps the counterbore base surface 98of the sleeve 76. As shown in FIG. 6, the slots, represented in thefigure by the slot 106 is formed at the same forward, axially-directedangle as the passage 86.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 13 and 14, the ball 90 is formed with a throughhole 112 for receiving an intermediate portion of a pin 114, whichextends from opposite sides of the ball by equal distances. As shown inFIG. 13, opposite ends of the pin 114 extend to a location where theends overlap the base surface 98 and, as illustrated in FIG. 5, are alsolocated in the floor 110 of the slots 106 and 108 when the ball 90 ispositioned so that a small portion 90 a of the ball extends into theopening 34. In this position, the spring 104 is resting on the adjacentportions of the pin 114 to normally urge the pin into engagement withthe floor 110 of each of the slots 106 and 108, and into engagement withadjacent portions of base surface 98 of the sleeve 76. This provides ameans for normally urging the ball 90 into a position where the portion90 a of the ball extends into the opening 34.

When using the chuck 30, an operator inserts, for example, the rearwardend of the shank 52 (FIG. 4) of the bit 50 into the triangular opening34 of the chuck. Upon continued insertion movement of the bit 50, therearward end of the shank 52 engages a means for locking the shank withthe chuck 30, including the ball 90 and the portion 90 a thereof, andurges the ball fully into the passage 86, which allows continuedinsertion movement of the bit. Eventually, the groove 54 of the bit 50becomes aligned with the passage 86 and the biasing force of thecompressed spring 104 urges the ball 90, as a locking element, furtherinto the passage whereby the portion 90 a enters the groove 54 toeffectively lock the bit 50 with chuck 30 through the action of themeans for locking.

In order to remove the bit 50 from the chuck 30, the operator retractsthe sleeve 76, whereby the base surface 98 of the sleeve is movedrearward of the chuck to move the ends of the pin 114 angularly rearwardwithin the slots 106 and 108. Eventually, upon the angularly rearwardmovement of the ball 90, the portion 90 a thereof is withdrawn into thepassage 86 and the bit 50 can now be removed from the chuck 30.

Referring to FIG. 12, a solid line triangle forms the perimeter of thefigure and represents the triangular opening 34 of the chuck 30, on theone hand, and also represents the triangular shank 52 (FIG. 4) of thebit 50, on the other hand, with the shank being inserted into theopening. The dashed line triangle within the solid line trianglerepresents the groove 54 of the bit 50.

Major portions of the solid line triangle also represent the shank 44(FIG. 3) of the bit 42, with the convex surfaces 46 also being shown,all of which are located with the opening 34. The dashed line trianglealso represents the groove 48 of the bit 42.

Further, three solid line surfaces of the hex configuration of the shank38 (FIG. 2) of the bit 36 are shown in overlapping arrangement withintermediate portions of respective sides of the solid lines whichrepresent the opening 34. The three solid lines, which represent theremaining three sides of the shank 38 are shown within the solid linerepresentation of the opening 34. The dashed line circle in the centerof FIG. 12 represents the groove 40 of the bit 36.

What is claimed is:
 1. A power drivable chuck for receiving and clampinga shank having a cross section selected from the group consisting of atriangular cross section configuration and a hexagonal cross sectionconfiguration, which comprises: a body having a front face; ashank-receiving bore formed in the front face of the body and extendinginto the body from the front face; the bore formed with three angularlyinterfacing surfaces arranged to drivingly engage the shank; eachsurface of the three angularly interfacing surfaces being contiguouswith the remaining two angularly interfacing surfaces; and means forlocking the shank with the chuck.
 2. The power drivable chuck as setforth in claim 1, which further comprises: the three angularlyinterfacing surfaces of the bore forming three angularly interfacingwalls arranged generally in a triangular cross sectional configuration.3. The power drivable chuck as set forth in claim 1, which furthercomprises: the body formed with a forward section of a prescribedlength; and the bore extending from the front face and into the forwardsection for a distance less than the prescribed length.
 4. The powerdrivable chuck as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises: thebody formed with a forward section having an exterior diameter.
 5. Thepower drivable chuck as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means forlocking comprises: the body formed with an exterior surface; a passageformed in the body and extending from the exterior surface to the bore;a locking element movable within the passage and having a portionthereof which is extendable into the bore, an extension elementassembled with and extending from the locking element, and means fornormally urging the extension element, and thereby the locking element,into a position whereby the portion of the locking element extendsnormally into the bore.
 6. The power drivable chuck as set forth inclaim 5, wherein the locking element is a ball.
 7. The power drivablechuck as set forth in claim 5, wherein the extension element comprises apin and the means for normally urging comprises a spring in engagementwith the pin.
 8. The power drivable chuck as set forth in claim 7,wherein the means for normally urging further comprises: a slot formedin the body which is in communication and aligned with the passage; andthe pin located within the slot for movement therein.
 9. The powerdrivable chuck as set forth in claim 8, which further comprises: a basesurface located adjacent the passage in a prescribed plane, theprescribed plane having a first side facing a major portion of the pinand a second side opposite the first side; a first portion of the slotbeing located on the first side of the plane of the base surface; theslot formed with a floor, at least a second portion of which extendsthrough the plane and away from the second side thereof; a first portionof the pin normally urged by the spring into engagement with the floorof the slot; and a second portion of the pin normally urged by thespring into engagement with the base surface on the first side of theplane thereof.
 10. The power drivable chuck as set forth in claim 9,wherein the floor of the slot is located to preclude any urged movementof the pin beyond the floor to thereby establish the size of the portionof the locking element which extends normally into the bore.
 11. Thepower drivable chuck as set forth in claim 9, which further comprises:the locking element formed with a through hole; and the pin locatedwithin and extending from the through hole.
 12. The power drivable chuckas set forth in claim 7, which further comprises: a through hole formedin the locking element; the pin having an intermediate portion locatedwithin the through hole and opposite end portions extending fromopposite ends of the through hole.
 13. The power drivable chuck as setforth in claim 9, which further comprises: a sleeve positioned over thebody for movement relative thereto; and a surface of the sleeve formingthe base surface.
 14. The power drivable chuck as set forth in claim 13,which further comprises: the body formed with an intermediate sectionhaving a forward surface facing and spaced from the base surface of thesleeve; a chamber defined between the base surface and the forwardsurface; and the spring located within the chamber.
 15. A power drivablechuck for receiving and clamping a shank, which comprises: a body havinga shank-receiving bore formed therein and an exterior surface; a passageformed in the body and extending from the exterior surface to the bore;a locking element movable within the passage and having a portionthereof which is extendable into the bore, an extension elementassembled with and extending from the locking element, and means fornormally urging the extension element, and thereby the locking element,into a position whereby the portion of the locking element extendsnormally into the bore.
 16. The power drivable chuck as set forth inclaim 15, wherein the locking element is a ball.
 17. The power drivablechuck as set forth in claim 15, wherein the extension element comprisesa pin and the means for normally urging comprises a spring in engagementwith the pin.
 18. The power drivable chuck as set forth in claim 17,wherein the means for normally urging further comprises: a slot formedin the body which is in communication and aligned with the passage; andthe pin located within the slot for movement therein.
 19. The powerdrivable chuck as set forth in claim 18, which further comprises: a basesurface located adjacent the passage in a prescribed plane, theprescribed plane having a first side facing a major portion of the pinand a second side opposite the first side; a first portion of the slotbeing located on the first side of the plane of the base surface; theslot formed with a floor, at least a second portion of which extendsthrough the plane and away from the second side thereof; a first portionof the pin normally urged by the spring into engagement with the floorof the slot; and a second portion of the pin normally urged by thespring into engagement with the base surface on the first side of theplane thereof.
 20. The power drivable chuck as set forth in claim 19,wherein the floor of the slot is located to preclude any urged movementof the pin beyond the floor to thereby establish the size of the portionof the locking element which extends normally into the bore.
 21. Thepower drivable chuck as set forth in claim 19, which further comprises:the locking element formed with a through hole; and the pin locatedwithin and extending from the through hole.
 22. The power drivable chuckas set forth in claim 17, which further comprises: a through hole formedin the locking element; the pin having an intermediate portion locatedwithin the through hole and opposite end portions extending fromopposite ends of the through hole.
 23. The power drivable chuck as setforth in claim 19, which further comprises: a sleeve positioned over thebody for movement relative thereto; and a surface of the sleeve formingthe base surface.
 24. The power drivable chuck as set forth in claim 23,which further comprises: the body formed with an intermediate sectionhaving a forward surface facing and spaced from the base surface of thesleeve; a chamber defined between the base surface and the forwardsurface; and the spring located within the chamber.